


There For You

by 5mallestviolin



Series: For You [2]
Category: Veronica Mars (TV), Veronica Mars - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:08:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28182915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/5mallestviolin/pseuds/5mallestviolin
Summary: It's Christmas, but Logan gets news he never wanted.This is a sequel to ‘Here for you’. It will make sense if you’ve read that first.
Relationships: Logan Echolls/Veronica Mars
Series: For You [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2064546
Comments: 22
Kudos: 44
Collections: Lovecember Holiday Edition





	1. Always here for you

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Aurora2020 for the beta work on this, and convincing me that this was a story worth sharing.

Friday, December 20, 2019

Neptune, California

The drive to the Neptune Memorial Hospital felt like the longest twenty minutes of Logan’s life. Veronica had assured him she was okay, that Scarlett and Keith were okay, but he needed to get there, to be there for his family.

Striding into the ER reception he approached the desk and said “Veronica and Keith Mars and Scarlett Echolls. I need to know where they are.”

“May I please have your name, sir?” said the receptionist.

“Logan Echolls,” he stated.

“Please give me a moment, Mr Echolls.” Logan tugged at his shirt sleeves impatiently as the receptionist checked her computer. “Mr Mars is in with Scarlett Echolls. He has been discharged and young Miss Echolls is ready to be picked up, awaiting your arrival.

“And my wife, Veronica Mars?” he asked.

“The doctor is with her now. You can go on in. It’s exam room eight, down the hall to the left.”

Knowing Scarlett was safe with Keith, Logan headed for the exam room in time to hear Veronica’s voice as he opened the door.

“My ankle is just fine. It’s barely even sore now. I don’t need x-rays.”

“Ms Mars, we just want to be sure,” the doctor’s voice was young, female and quintessentially southern Californian.

“I am sure,” said Veronica. “See, I can move it just fine. Just wrap it up with some tape for a couple of days and it will be good.”

“What do you need to be sure of?” asked Logan as he entered the room.

“We would like to x-ray Ms Mars’ ankle, make sure it’s not broken,” said the doctor.

“Nothing! I’m fine, Logan. I just want to get out to check on Scarlett,” said Veronica simultaneously.

“Your dad’s with her. They said she is ready to be discharged,” said Logan, addressing the person he knew he considered the most important in the room.

“I don’t want x-rays, Logan. It’s not necessary.”

Logan looked at Veronica, ignoring the doctor. “Are you really okay? Have they checked the baby?”

I’m fine. We’re fine. It wasn’t even a bad crash. They took blood tests and did an ultrasound and all the results are fine. See,” she waved in the general direction of her stomach and at one of the monitors hooked up beside her, “even his heartbeat is just fine.”

“His?”

“Or hers.”

“Okay.”

“I think we are outed to my dad.”

“I’m surprised he hadn’t already figured it out.”

“You may be right. He didn’t seem surprised when I told the EMT’s when they turned up.”

“What happened?”

“I’m not sure. The other driver went through a stop sign, but he wasn’t travelling very fast. Once Dad could see we were not badly hurt, he went to help him, said he was elderly, and that he was unconscious but breathing.”

The doctor was looking backward and forward at them and interjected, “We would really like to x-ray your wife’s ankle, Mr Mars. We would give her a lead apron to make sure there is no danger to the pregnancy.

“He’s Echolls,” said Veronica. “And I really don’t need an x-ray.”

“What about a compromise?” suggested Logan. “If everything else is ok, we’ll take you home. You rest up and if there is any lingering soreness in the next few days, we’ll arrange to get scans done with our doctor.”

“I’m good with that idea,” said Veronica quickly.

Recognizing defeat, the ER doctor said, “We’d like to continue the fetal monitor for about another half hour.”

“Why don’t you go get Scarlett? Get her discharged and bring her back. I want to see her for myself,” said Veronica.

“And your dad?” 

“I think he can discharge himself,” said Veronica.

“Funny,” he replied. “Do you want to see him too?”

“Yeah, might as well have the whole family in here,” she answered.

***

  
  


“Daddy, daddy, daddy. Look I got boo-boos.” Scarlett held up her arms to show him four small adhesive bandages.

“I can see, sweetheart.”

“Not ‘ello kitty’ like mommy gives me.”

“No?” said Logan. “That’s a shame. Maybe we can get some new ones at home.” Logan looked up at Keith. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Logan,” he answered. “A couple of cuts. I get worse pruning roses. Scarlett is fine too. Those bandages are all she has. Plus one on her knee.”

“I have five, Daddy.” Scarlett pointed to each of them counting “One, two, free, like me!” She stopped, looking up at him. 

“Yes you are three, now.” He pointed at the third one, gently repeating “Three,” before moving on to the next saying, “Four.”

Scarlett repeated “Four,” and finished with “Five,” pointing at the one on her knee.

“That’s good, sweetheart.” Looking back at Keith, Logan said, “Veronica is fine. Her ankle is a little sore to stand on, but she can move it fine so we’ll hold off on getting an x-ray and just keep her off her feet for a few days.”

“Good luck with that,” retorted Keith,“You know how she gets at Christmas.” Keith paused for a moment, “Is the baby okay?”

“Fine, too, it seems. They are just doing some fetal monitoring, but it’s all looking okay. We were going to tell you tonight,” he said. “She’s 13 weeks now. Just starting to show and hoping the morning sickness will start to go away soon.”

“It’s fine, Logan,” said Keith. “Just as long as they are both okay.”

“Why don’t you go have a look for yourself? She is in exam room eight. I have to finish the paperwork to discharge this little one.”

Keith got up. Scarlett twisted around, saying “Me stay with daddy.” Keith glanced up at Logan who reached out and took the toddler from him. 

“We’re good. You go see Veronica,” said Logan.

“Logan,” Keith said.

“Yes Keith?” he answered.

“Remember when I told you, before you headed off to finish your last deployment leaving your daughter with mine, that you hadn’t been high on my list of eligible suitors for my daughter when you were a teenager?”

“I do recall something like that,” replied Logan.

“You might not have been good for my daughter then, but now I believe you are the best thing in her life. She has a joy and a happiness about her, and a new baby will just expand that,” said Keith.

Touched, Logan responded, “Thank you. I know Veronica and Scarlett are the best things in my life, and I would do anything to look after my family.”

“I know, son. It shows.”

As Keith turned to leave, Logan asked, “Incidentally, Keith, who was at the top of your list for suitable suitors for your daughter back then? I need to know the criteria for when this little one grows up.”

“That’s easy, Logan,” he replied cheekily, “None of you!”

***

When Keith had left the room, another ER doctor, this one a young man with brightly decorated scrubs entered the room. “Mr Echolls?”

“Yes” answered Logan.

“I’m Dr Harris, pediatric rotation. Scarlett here is fine. A few minor lacerations on her arms and leg, but we have cleaned them up, put on bandages and there are no signs of infection. No other injuries, indications of concussion or anything else to worry about.”

“Good,” said Logan. 

“You can just take the bandages off in a day or two and they should heal fine. Any redness or soreness, just bring her back or take her to her usual pediatrician . She was securely strapped into her car seat. That makes a lot of difference,” said the doctor.

“We do try,” replied Logan.

“Can I just get some information from you to update our file for Scarlett?”

“What do you need?” asked Logan.

“So your wife, who came in at the same time as Scarlett here, is not Scarlett’s birth mother.”

“Veronica is Scarlett’s mother now. She adopted her when we got married last year.”

“So Scarlett’s biological mother is not in the picture?” said the doctor.

“You’re not from southern California, are you?” asked Logan.

The doctor answered, “No. I grew up in the Bay area.”

Logan sighed and said, “Scarlett’s biological mother passed away a couple of years ago.”

“Ok, I see. Did you adopt Scarlett as well?” he asked.

“No, I’m her father.”

“I see,” said the doctor, but clearly confused.

“What is the issue?” asked Logan warily.

“Well Scarlett has an A+ blood type. You are listed as O- and Scarlett’s biological mother’s blood type on the record from her birth was O+”

Logan joined the dots. “You’re saying you don’t think I am Scarlett’s biological father?” His stomach dropped and he felt sick.

“It’s unlikely. But there are some rare exceptions, so it’s not impossible.”

“There was a paternity test done,” said Logan.

“I can certainly check the results of that for you if it was done here after she was born,” replied the doctor.

“It was prior to the birth. I was in the Navy, deployed at the time. The med center onboard took cheek swabs and I sent them back to Carrie to get tested. She sent me the results.”

“You might want to go back to the laboratory that did the testing to clarify the results. As I said, it’s not impossible, but it is rare.”

***

Late that night, Veronica was studying Logan as he joined her in bed. “You’ve been quiet tonight. Are you worried about the baby? It was a glorified fender bender and I really am feeling just fine, and Scarlett is okay too.”

“No, it’s not that.”

“Then what is it? Spill, Echolls.”

“It’s nothing Veronica, just a little distracted after today.”

“Well maybe I can distract you a little more?” she suggested, snaking one hand down his chest to toy with the waistband of his boxers.

He placed his hand on top of hers, stilling it. “I’m really not up for this tonight, Veronica.”

She looked up at his eyes, seeing clouds of worry and said, “Then tell me what’s bothering you.”

“Just because I‘m not in the mood for sex doesn’t mean anything is bothering me,” he snapped.

“No, but you not being in the mood for sex is pretty rare and doesn’t usually come with fear in your eyes,” she snapped back.

Logan rolled his eyes and Veronica visibly bristled. Ignoring it, Logan said, “Maybe I’m just tired. It was a pretty stressful day.”

“I’ve seen you tired. You don’t look like this,” she said. “Tonight you look worried, even scared and I want to know why.”

“Just back off, Veronica!” Logan’s voice was low, but forceful. 

“No,” she retorted. “I want to know what has got you scared.”

Logan got up from the bed, saying, “Not everything is your business, Veronica, and I don’t feel like an argument. I’m going to sleep in the spare room,” and he walked out of their bedroom.

Veronica looked after him in shock.

***

“Mommy, Mommy, I awake. B’eakfast now,” said Scarlett as she barrelled into the main bedroom at about six thirty the following morning. Having tossed and turned most of the night, only getting to sleep well after four, Veronica was grateful for the slightly later December sunrise even in southern California delaying Scarlett’s early awakening. “Daddy surf?” she asked, noticing the lack of Logan in the bed.

For the first time, Veronica didn’t know how to answer that and instead deftly deflected the toddler’s question, saying “Toast or pancakes for breakfast, sweetheart?”

Throwing that easy a distraction worked as Scarlett predictably shouted “Pancakes” with glee and she started to run out in a hurry. Veronica caught her before she could get too far, saying “Potty first, then pancakes.”

When Veronica and Scarlett made it down to the kitchen ten minutes later, Logan was standing at the counter drinking from a bottle of water, sweaty in running clothes. Scarlett ran up to him saying, “Daddy surf?”

“Not this morning Scarlett. I went running,” answered Logan. He switched on the coffee machine and got out a decaf pod and a pack of saltines for Veronica. “Coffee?”

Normally she would have made some crack about not being sure you could call that coffee, but this morning was strained and she was feeling nauseous, and she just replied “Thank you.”

She moved through the kitchen, careful not to touch him, and got a box of pancake mix from the cupboard. Making a quick decision, she said to Scarlett, “How would you like to watch some Paw Patrol this morning while Mommy makes breakfast?”

Suspiciously, Scarlett said, “Still pancakes?”

Smiling ruefully, Veronica agreed, “Still pancakes,” and took her into the adjacent living room and switched on the television to find the cartoon puppies.

Once she had returned to the kitchen, Logan raised an eyebrow saying, “Pancakes and TV first thing?”

“I thought we could both do with her having some distraction this morning,” she said. “You don’t look like you slept any better than I did.”

“No. You’re right.” He opened the saltines and offered her one.

“See, I tell you that all the time,” she quipped weakly, trying to inject a little humor into what was a tense situation as she nibbled on a cracker to settle her stomach and started to put together the pancake mix.

“Yeah, but mostly that’s just hyperbole,” he quipped back, just as weakly, but Veronica was relieved.

“Look, I’m sorry I got so insistent last night. I just got worried by the fear clouding your eyes. I don’t like seeing that in you and I just wanted to help,” she said.

“Shi,” he started, then amended to “Shoot, Veronica,” remembering the little ears in the next room. He ran his hand through his hair, a little longer now he didn’t need to keep it as short as naval regs dictated. “I just needed some time to process something. I’m sorry I snapped at you too.”

“It’s ok. Do you still need more time?” she asked.

Knowing how much it would be killing her to offer him that, he answered, “I don’t know, love. It just keeps running in circles in my head. I don’t really know what to do, and it’s hard to keep anything from you.”

“You should always remember that,” she quipped again, this time a little less weakly, a little closer to their normal. “Look, whatever the problem is, we can face it together a lot easier than apart.”

Logan took a deep breath, “The doctor yesterday, the pediatrician who saw Scarlett, says she probably isn’t mine.”

“What?” she exclaimed. “But you had a paternity test, didn’t you?”

“Yes. Well I thought I did, and Carrie emailed me a scan of the results, but now I have to doubt it all,” replied Logan.

“What did the doctor say, Logan?” 

“He said that Scarlett’s blood type is A+. Carrie’s, according to the doctor, was O+. Mine is O-. Apparently there are some rare exceptions, but the norm is that I couldn’t be Scarlett’s father.”

“Biological father,” Veronica corrected. “Because you are sure as hell her father in the ways that count.”

“Yeah, well, but do I have the right to be her father? Is there some other guy out there who would be a better father, her actual father? Or worse, is there someone out there who will turn up out of the blue to take her away from me who is just doing it for her inheritance or for the fame,” he said bitterly.

“Oh, Logan,” sighed Veronica. “Come here,” she said and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close, comforting him as no one else could. They stood there together for some time. When he eventually pulled back, she said, “Why don’t we figure out the things we need to do and what we can do. One thing I do know is that right now you are Scarlett’s legal father. Anyone wanting to change that has to prove both paternity and that it would be in Scarlett’s best interest and that would be incredibly hard because you are an amazing father.”

***

“One bonus of coming down to stay in the Neptune house for the Christmas break is the benefit of having almost endless options for childcare,” said Veronica after seeing Scarlett run off down to the beach with Wallace, Shae and their year old daughter, Zahra. Logan had been with Wallace the previous day as a guest speaker in Wallace’s physics class at Neptune High when the call had come in from Veronica about the accident. When Wallace had called Saturday morning to see how they were, Veronica had shamelessly cajoled him to take Scarlett out for a few hours.

“Most of my paperwork is at home in San Diego,” said Logan, “But I do have the email with the test results that Carrie sent me.” 

Veronica took a look at the document he forwarded. “She didn’t send you the cover page, just the results. It’s very general, with no names, but,” she paused as she looked up the website of the lab that had done the testing, “they say that they don’t put names on the results unless there is a formal chain of custody.” She looked up at Logan. 

“No, she just asked for cheek swabs. I got some at the med center on board and mailed them to her. At the time, I didn’t really think it was necessary, but Carrie was insistent.”

Veronica pondered for a moment, then said, “We can do this two ways. You could get another test done, know for sure, or we can try to unravel what happened back then. We may want to try to do that anyway, but if we establish that Scarlett is not yours biologically, we can look into whether you need to formally adopt her and how we can do that.”

“You think we should do that? Even if she is not really mine?”

“You don’t?” she queried, heart stuttering a little.

“No I want to, because she is mine in every way that matters. I just wasn’t sure if you would.” He reached out and touched her hand, seeking support, reassurance.

“Logan, she isn’t just yours, she is mine too. This is our family now. You, me, Scarlett, my dad, our friends and their kids and next summer the new baby too,” her fingers caught his. Tangled. Held.

“Yeah,” he said, holding on, brushing his thumb across her wrist.

“There’s a third option,” said Veronica. “We could just ignore this.” Logan looked up quickly into her eyes. “Scarlett is legally our child and no one has come out to challenge that yet. Maybe we are just tempting fate?”

Logan took a deep breath, “Your dad suspected that you may not have been his biologically. He didn’t find out until you were nearly 18. Would you have preferred him to know? To have been able to tell you when that came up?” 

That stopped Veronica short. Questions of paternity dragged up a lot of memories from that time in high school. “I think it would have been easier if it hadn’t been a question,” she answered finally.

“So I think I should find out, at least what we can, so that when Scarlett is old enough to need it, we can tell her what we know,” he said. “This isn’t about us. It’s not going to change what she means to us, but it might be important to her some day.” He lifted their joint hand to his lips.

Veronica nodded and answered, “Why don’t we see what we can find out this week and if we still don’t have any answers, we can go down the path of testing in the New Year. There’s no hurry. We aren’t likely to get any results from a lab before then anyway. Do you have any of Carrie’s papers stored anywhere? I don’t remember them in our house in San Diego.”

“The important things are in a safety deposit box in San Diego. I arranged that when I finalized her estate with the lawyer and set up the trust for Scarlett. But there are a couple of boxes here. I put all that stuff away in the attic when I put away her things after I returned from the last deployment.”

“We could go through those, see if there are any clues,” said Veronica. “It’s also worth confirming Carrie’s blood type. It could have just been a recording mistake at the hospital on Scarlett’s records.”

“Is that really possible?”

“It happens. Not often, but occasionally.”

“How can we do that?”

“Here in California, a lot of people provide that information for a driver’s license medical card. I can access that with Dad’s PI database.”

“You have access?”

“Of course I do.”

“Does he know?”

“If he doesn’t, he should.”

Logan laughed. “Once a Mars, always a Mars.”

“Well yes,” responded Veronica.

“It’s kind of hot,” said Logan, eyes darkening as hers lifted to his. “How long before Wallace and Shae get back with Scarlett?”

Veronica glanced at the clock, said, “Long enough,” and with a come-hither glance, headed for the bedroom.

***

Sunday, 22 nd December 2019.

Veronica looked up from her laptop during Scarlett’s naptime, picked up the legal pad she had been using for notes, “It looks like Carrie’s blood type is O+. I’m sorry Logan.” 

“It’s okay. I think I’m coming to terms with it.”

Veronica looked at him and hesitated. Logan caught the glance and said, “You’ve got something else.”

“I looked up Sean Friedrich’s blood type as well. Just because, you know.” She went on quickly, “But his blood type is O+ too, so it couldn’t be him.”

Logan breathed out a sigh of relief. “I was worried, you know. She didn’t like him, but she wasn’t always predictable. At least now I know that I don’t have to worry about trying to fight him for custody.”

“Dick and Luke Haldeman too.”

“You have been thorough. I wasn’t worried about either of them, but it’s good to have it confirmed,” he said. “I’ve been having a look at her credit card statements. Most of it is easy to understand but there are a few I can’t place. Demeter Corporation, Cryohome and Freya. Freya sounds a bit like some boutique but I can’t recall it anywhere. Maybe you can work your magic to find out what they are.”

“Sure, send them to me and I’ll have a look. Although it may have to wait for later as it sounds like the little hurricane of Christmas Cheer has woken up,” indicating the sound of little feet running down the hallway. “I swear these naps are getting shorter and shorter.”

“That’s because they are. It won’t be long till she gives them up altogether. I think we need to make the most of it while it lasts.”

“Now you tell me.”

“Mommy, Daddy, Grandpa here now?” shouted Scarlett as she burst into the room at full tilt.

“Inside voice in the house,” said Veronica almost as a reflex, then, “Grandpa will be here soon. Let’s go get some snacks and get ready for the concert,” referring to the Christmas concert they were heading out to that afternoon

***

  
  
  


Monday 23rd December, 2019

Logan had Scarlett on his shoulders as they returned from a walk down the beach. It was too cold for a swim, but the little girl had still managed to get fairly wet digging in the sand looking for shells on the beach. “Let’s get you some clean clothes and we’ll see what Mommy has for lunch?”

Scarlett chattered a mile a minute as they went into the house. She called out to Veronica who answered her from the kitchen. Logan lowered her to the floor and she ran off to show her collection of shells. 

“Shall we put them in your big shell collection box and get you some dry clothes? Then we can have some soup and grilled cheese sandwiches,” said Veronica to Scarlett. 

Scarlett looked up, asking, “Noodle?”

“Yes. Your favorite chicken with noodles and gooey cheese sandwiches.” As Scarlett smiled, Veronica addressed Logan as she turned the bubbling soup pot to low, “I’ll take her. You look like you could use some dry stuff yourself.”

In a low voice, he asked, “Did you find anything?”

Veronica responded slowly, “Yes. It’s kind of complicated. It would probably be best if we talk after lunch, when this one is n-a-p-p-i-n-g,” spelling out the word.

“O-kay,” he said slowly.

“It really isn’t bad with respect to Scarlett. But it’s complicated. Go, get changed and we’ll have lunch.”

***

“They’re what?” said Logan, incredulous.

“Donor bank companies. Specifically, they supply donor sperm or eggs to clients,” said Veronica. “I have contacted the company and while they won’t provide details over the phone about the services Carrie was using, the pricing on the website of Cryohome suggests that she did obtain donor sperm from both companies.”

“Why would she do that?”

“That I don’t know. But from the payments, it does look like she obtained about four samples, three of them from Cryohome before you started seeing her the last time around.”

“So she kept sperm samples in her freezer just waiting to use it?”

“Um, no. She obtained the fourth sample from Demeter in January 2016, while you were together. If Carrie conceived Scarlett through a sperm donation, that would be the one.”

“She did that while we were together.”

“I know.”

“That’s quite something to take in.”

“I realize.”

“We were using condoms that time around. Carrie said she was on birth control, but I didn’t like to take chances, especially with her history of using. I just thought her pregnancy was the universe’s way of saying F-U, again.

“I’m sorry, Logan. I know she must have lied to you.”

“It’s just quite a lot to process, you know.”

Veronica said, “We can get the information from Demeter about what they provided,” but she may have well been talking to thin air as Logan was lost in his own thoughts. 

“I just can’t figure out why she did it.”

“I’m not sure why she did it, but if it’s correct, there is a silver lining.”

“Really? Because I am struggling to think of anything right now.”

“At least there is no one who can take Scarlett from us. They are an anonymous service.”

Logan was quiet. “I just can’t quite figure out what to think. If this is true, and it’s certainly looking that way, Carrie didn’t actually cheat on me, but she did tell me a massive lie, deliberately conceiving a child and passing it off to me as mine. Why in fuck’s name would she do that?” He sounded hurt and angry.

“I’m not sure we will be able to find out the answers.”

“I think I’m going to go for a run. Do something to clear my head.”

“Sure,” said Veronica, a little unsure, but knowing this was Logan’s preferred way to think things through.. “I’ll be here when you get back. I’ll alway be here for you, Logan. I love you.”

Logan looked her right in the eyes, brown against blue and said, “I know. I love you too.”

***

Logan ran along the beach down from their house. Feet slapping the sand, building a rhythm usually cleared his mind, but thirty minutes in on the cool December day he had built up a sweat but his mind was no closer to clear. Carrie’s deception and lies had just floored him and he wasn’t sure how to deal with it, when he had no way of finding out why. He spotted a familiar profile on the beach, had a quick internal debate, before heading over to say hello to the man flying a drone across the ocean.

“Hey Wallace,” he said.

“Logan, my man. You out for a run?”

”Yeah. Scarlett’s asleep. Sometimes you have to take it when the opportunity strikes.”

“I hear that. Zahra is starting to give up the morning nap. We’re all exhausted when she finally goes down!” he said.

“Scarlett’s starting to give up all the naps. It may kill me,” he said back in solidarity.

Wallace looked carefully at Logan, “Is there something wrong? I know we haven’t always been friends, but it’s different now. Things seemed off Saturday when we brought Scarlett back.”

Logan laughed humorlessly, “I thought I was better at concealing than that.”

“Oh you are,” said Wallace. “I could see it in V. Worry in her eyes reserved for a very select few. Elimination said it had to be you, because she would have told me about it if it was Keith or Scarlett.”

“That’s some detecting, Wallace.”

“Yeah, well you pick up some things knowing the girl for so many years.” He shifted on his feet, and brought the drone back to land in front of him. Turning to Logan, he said, “If you need someone to blow off some steam with, you can do that with me. Nothing needs to hit your wife’s ears if you don’t want it too.”

“You sure that’s a safe thing to say to me?”

“Pretty sure man. You may have been the bad boy back in the day, but these days you are so much the model father, husband, citizen, that I think I’m safe in believing that you haven’t gone too far off the rails.”

“I’m not sure if that is an insult or a compliment?”

“One hundred percent compliment. You’re a good man.”

“We found out Scarlett isn’t mine,” Logan blurted out. “Carrie knew and lied to me anyway.”

“Oh hell, man. That’s rough.”

“I just don’t know what to think.”

“Do you know who her bio-father is?”

“This is the insane bit. Carrie was getting donor sperm from a sperm bank.”

“What?”

“Yeah.”

They stood there in silence for a few minutes collecting their thoughts. Wallace spoke tentatively, “What are you thinking of doing?”

“Not much I can do. I can’t exactly yell at her or ask her why the ever-living fuck she did it.”

“What did Veronica say?”

“Much the same as you. She did say there was a silver lining. At least we know there is no-one out there who could come and take her away from us.”

“There is that.” Wallace looked at Logan carefully. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but,”

Logan jumped in, “Am I okay bringing up a child I didn’t father? Yes I am. If she had told me up front that she had done this, I don’t know what I would have done. But now, when Scarlett is three and I’ve been her father her whole life,” he paused. “I love her, and I only want the best for her.”

“I think you are the best for her. And now you and Veronica.”

“She’s pregnant, you know. Veronica.”

“Yeah?” said Wallace. “That’s great.”

“It is. But I am worried, you know. Will I feel differently about this baby that is mine and Veronica’s. Will I feel less for Scarlett?”

“I don’t think you need to worry. We don’t have some finite amount of love in us. Love grows. The more you have, the more you find.”

“Trina was adopted, you know.”

Wallace looked at him assessingly, realizing Logan was at his core, scared. “You’re not Aaron Echolls. You’re not going to turn into Aaron Echolls.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I do, man. He thought of himself first, foremost, always. You don’t,” reassured Wallace. “Look, in a relationship, a marriage, a  _ family,  _ everyone’s needs get mixed up, juggled around. Sometimes yours come first, sometimes it’s your partner, sometimes it’s your kids. It depends on what is most important at the time. You get that. You do that. Aaron never did.”

Logan appreciated that Wallace was astute enough not to call Aaron his dad. “When I was 14, freshman year of high school, Aaron took me out of school to go to Tanzania for a six week film shoot. I can’t even remember the film. He told everyone it was for the cultural experience.”

“It wasn’t?”

“He took me because he told everyone he was doing his own stunts and regretted it. He was afraid of getting hurt and needing blood. He took me because I was O-. I was his own personal fucking blood donor.”

“He did that when you were 14?” said Wallace. 

“Yeah.”

“Just more evidence that you are absolutely not like Aaron,” said Wallace. “You, my friend, are a good father, husband, friend. You served your country, for heaven’s sake. You tried to help Carrie. Maybe you just need to give yourself a break. You may never find out why Carrie did what she did. My mom hid my real dad from me. I grew up thinking Hank Fennel was my dad.”

“I know your dad is in Chicago, and you visit him occasionally.”

“Yeah, he came looking for me. But, my mom thought she was doing the best thing for me at the time, you know. I was angry for a while, but eventually I figured out she was just doing what she thought was right. And that’s all a parent can do. Maybe Carrie thought she was doing the best thing for Scarlett.”

“I’ll never know.”

“No, but maybe that doesn’t have to matter. Because just about any man can father a child. Takes a heck of a lot more to be a real father, though and that’s what you are. I think the only thing that matters now is that you are Scarlett’s dad.”

***

“Are you sure you still want to go out tonight?” asked Veronica.

“It’s our first wedding anniversary, Veronica. I absolutely want to go out.”

“Our anniversary is technically tomorrow," said Veronica. “And who’s idea was it to get married on Christmas Eve?”

“It was romantic.”

She softened in memory, “It was, wasn’t it?”

“Tell me again why we aren’t going out tomorrow night?”

“Dad’s got Scarlett for a sleepover tonight. Gives us the night to ourselves. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and Scarlett should be here with us to have Christmas stories and put food out for Santa and the reindeer and then wake up ridiculously early on Christmas morning,” said Veronica. “Besides, I’ve only got a couple of weeks at best where I will still fit my dress.”

“The little black dress? From that night?” Logan asked lasciviously. “Maybe we could stay in tonight? Re-enact the first night back from deployment?”

“I think re-enacting that night is how we got to me on the verge of not fitting into the dress,” she answered dryly.

He bobbed his eyebrows and smirked at her. “You just might be right.”

She looked at him with concern in her eyes, “Are you really sure? With all that’s happened today, I’ll understand.”

“Veronica, I may never know Carrie’s motivations, but I do know I am exactly where I want to be now. With you, with Scarlett, with our family. That hasn’t changed. So let’s go celebrate the life we’ve made together.”


	2. Dear Scarlett

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Implied severe depression

13 October, 2034

The courier from Carrie’s lawyer arrived for Logan a week before Scarlett’s 18th birthday. There were two letters inside.

_ 20 July, 2017 _

_ Dear Logan, _

_ Scarlett will be nearly 18 by the time you get this, and you’ve probably already figured out that she isn’t yours biologically by now, but if you haven’t, here goes. _

_ I loved Susan beyond reason. She was forced to give up the child she had in high school, but she never forgot, and never got over the pain of that loss. After you and I split up the first time, she and I decided to have a child together. We obtained donor sperm, but when those first attempts failed, Susan became despondent, taking to the alcohol and drugs that eventually took her life on that boat.  _

_ Then you came back and patched me back together for a while, but when my cracks got too wide and I refused to let you help me, I conceived the idea of having Scarlett, to have something that I could love, that would tether me. _

_ It was, in retrospect, foolish and selfish as I quickly came to realize the extent of the darkness invading my life. I had not originally intended for you to be a part of our lives, but it was you I thought of when I finally acknowledged I couldn’t do it alone, you, the person I thought would care for and protect the innocent child I was bringing into the world. So I falsified the paternity test. I’m sorry. Truly. I didn’t set out to hurt you, but protecting my child was more important to me and that’s what I did. _

_ I chose you for Scarlett, because you were the only person in my life I trusted with her. I’m sorry I didn’t give you a choice. _

_ There’s a letter here for Scarlett. You get to choose if and when you want to give it to her. _

_ Carrie. _

***

_ 20th July 2017 _

_ Dear Scarlett, _

_ The day you were born was the best day of my life. You were perfect and I wanted to be your everything. I loved you so much. _

_ But I was weak and I just couldn’t. I’m sorry. If you are getting this, it’s because I am gone, but believe me it’s not because of you. It’s not because I wanted to, but sometimes the dark days are just too strong for the light. _

_ I had a friend, Susan. We were so close, the best of friends. She had a baby in high school, but her parents forced her to give her baby up. So we decided to have a baby between us, to bring up in a house of love and joy and happiness. We tried, she and I. But it didn’t happen and her sadness got the best of her and she died of too much heartbreak. And when she died, my heart broke with hers. _

_ After her death, when your dad and I were together, the sadness was only ever partly at bay and I decided to take one more chance to have you, the child that Susan and I wanted, because I wanted someone to love unconditionally, who would always be there with me. _

_ After you were conceived, I was so happy, but the dark days never quite went away. And I knew I was weak, maybe too weak to resist the dark, so I chose your dad. Because I knew, no matter what he thought, of the well of love and protectiveness in him, that he would love you and would do whatever was needed to take care of you. I chose him for you. _

_ The expression on his face when you were born was the most pure love I have ever seen and I knew I had chosen well. That you would be protected and cared for and always loved. _

_ Please know that I loved you. And because I loved you, I gave you the most precious gift I could think of. Your dad. Because he will always be there for you. _

_ With love,  _

_ Mommy. _


End file.
